Letters to Mom and Dad
by Michaela Martin
Summary: A continuation of the Yahtzee kids. Each chapter is a different letter home from one of the kids. Roommates, blown up labs and many others to come! For the record begging me to update does not get a new chapter any faster. Read and review please.
1. Tales from Yale Bella

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: When you last saw the Messer quints they were graduating from high school and moving away from the three bedroom, two bath Manhattan brownstone and on with their lives. Just so everyone is clear on where everyone is I'll breifly fill you in. **

**Heartthrob and accident prone Daniel Jay (DJ) Messer was on a baseball scholarship at NYU. His current girlfriend Jennifer Mullins is also at NYU with him. **

**Isabella Louise (Belle now) Messer is away at Yale in pre-law and political science. She is hoping to revamp her image and be taken seriously instead of always being the shallow, Barbie Cheerleader. **

**Evan Travis Messer accumulated so many science and academic scholarships he is covered at Columbia well into graduate school. Along with going to school he is interning at the crime lab. **

**Parker Jane (PJ) Messer is away in Africa, forging college, despite being accepted to every school she applied at. PJ is going to change the world one African village at a time. **

**Miracle Faith Messer is at Julliard composing her opera. It is a combanation of English, Greek and Italian. Her first music score was preformed by the New York Symphony Orchestra on the anniversary of the day she broke out of her autisim. Her parents and Stella were front and center the night she conducted it for the first time. **

**Each chapter of this story will chornicle a major event in each of the kid's lives while at school or in the African wilderness. Each will begin as a letter home to Mom and Dad. Our first Yahtzee letter begins now...**

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_From the Desk of Belle Messer_

_Dear Mom and Daddy,_

_For the first time in my life I am grateful that you had all five of us share a bathroom growing up. Of course here at Yale I won't have Daddy drilling the door off halfway through a deep cleansing masque and hot oil treatment for my hair. My roommate Taya is so much like PJ it's like being home all over. Taya told me straight out that she has no tolerence of Barbies. And I thought PJ was bad..._

Belle Messer stepped into her first pre-law class and was instantly looked at differently. Her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes were full of wonder and excitement while the others were busy reading their text books and studying the outlines that were sitting on the table Belle had just passed by. She had her fuzzy pink messenger bag and a large Starbucks coffee. She took a seat in the middle of the classroom and surveyed the room.

Before she left New York for school she decided that she was no longer going to be the butt of all of her sister PJ's jokes. She was not going to take another dumb blonde joke in and not say something about it. Now was the time to leave Bella Messer for good an become Belle, the best damn pre law and political science major Yale had ever had.

Class was interesting to say the least. Belle got into it with a few other students, shocking not only them but a few others as well. Upon arriving at her dorm sje was shocked to see all her makeup and hair care/styling products dumped on her bed. Taya was standing next to her bed.

"Don't leave your shit all over the bathroom counter," Taya snapped. "Next time I'll throw it all out."

Belle had to laugh. She didn't mean to but she had heard the exact same thing from PJ and the boys all her life. It was after the tenth time that the boys and PJ had gone to Danny about the same issue that he bought a large hanging basket that held all of her stuff. She had accidently left it at the home. She made a mental note to make sure Lindsay packed it in the care package.

"What is so funny?" Taya snapped.

"You sound like my brothers and sisters," Belle laughed. "They all used to say the exact same thing."

"There's more like you out there?"

"Yeah. I'm two of five."

"There are _four _more of _you_?"

"Well not of me exactly. My older brother DJ is an accident prone baseball player. He's holds my high school's record for most windows broken in a single season. My other brother Evan's the genius, my sister PJ is the activist/world changer and my youngest sister Miracle is a musical genius."

"If you were my sister I would have sold you a long time ago."

"You just don't know me that well yet. PJ was always trying to sell me. My dad actually caught her setting up an Ebay auction for me. You want to see a picture of them?"

Belle went over to the one box she hadn't unpacked yet and pulled out a large collage of pictures of her family. She was very proud of it. She had made it herself. She put the very first family photo ever taken in the center and made a sunburst pattern with the others. She loved the first picture so much becasue of the love and exhaustion on her parents' faces.

"Cristo!" Taya exclaimed. "You're a set of quints?"

"Yeah. Why does everyone think that is so strange?"

"Not strange, just very cool. Were you guys naturally quints or did your mom have medcinal help?"

"Mom was on fertility drugs."

"Wow!"

Belle could see her roommate finally warming up to her. For the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening Belle reagled her once advesary about the trials and tribulations about growing up in such a different household. The two girls then went to dinner in the dining hall and Taya introduced Belle to the other people in her classes.

_So needless to say Mom, having quints sure is an ice breaker. Oh and if you can manage it so I don't lose all my makeup and hair stuff can you send my hanging basket thing? Taya would really appreciate having some counterspace. I miss you both si much but I think Taya and I will be coming to the city for Miracle's concert. Kiss Aunt Stella for me!_

_Love always, _

_Bellas_


	2. Expolding Labs Evan

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: What are the odds that Bella's first roommate would be a copy of PJ. Just so you know I got this idea today during a slow few hours at work. Sigma Phi Epsilon is an actual frat at Columbia whose alumi include Dave Thomas (founder of Wendy's) and John Goodman. And the next letter starts now...**

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_Evan Messer--A Science God in a Mere Mortal Boy_

_Dear Mom and Pop, _

_For the record the explosion in the genetics lab at Columbia was not my fault. I have a defective lab partner. I know I see you both everyday when I am interning with Adam but every parent likes to hear from their child while they are "away" at college. So I shall try to explain how this whole thing was not my fault..._

Evan Messer was the envy of many young men in his Advanced Biochemistry class. They couldn't figure out how he got into Sigma Phi Epsilon or managed to have the hottest girlfriend ever. Danny always said that Evan was more like Adam than he was he and Lindsay. Evan like Adam, was quiet, very hard to upset and when he was focused on his work there was no bugging him.

Evan met Lila Murray one late afternoon at the library. She was having computer issues and Evan being the only super computer savvy person in his family was able to help. Now Evan and Lila went everywhere together. She wasn't a greek but she was accepted by his brothers and protected like any other girl who was attached to a Sig. Evan was just happy to be out of his brother's shadow for once. Being the younger, less sporty brother of DJ Messer at Guliani High School was never fun. It was like he was the "Other Tucker" in _John Tucker Must Die_. For once he wasn't Evan, DJ's brother, he was just Evan the Science Guy.

For such a smart guy, Evan was amazed at stupidity he had in choosing his lab partner. Patrick Moss was a nice guy, just not the brightest Crayon in the box. Evan turned away from their experiment that he had done at a high school science project for just a second and the whole thing went to hell. It was the first time in his life that he almost failed a lab assignment.

The day the lab blew up was not Evan's fault, although everyone thought it was. Evan and Patrick were working late one night trying to get a lab finished. Evan decided that he would make out all the equations they would need and do all the actual mixing of the chemicals. He was getting tired and he knew he wouldn't be getting much sleep that night because his brothers were having a party. So he rushed. A stupid mistake that his partner should have caught but didn't.

The next day Evan came back to the experiment not knowing that Patrick had finished setting it up without him. He still had no idea how the entire thing blew to hell but it was interesting to have to answer the CSIs questions when they were people who had watched him and his brother and sisters grow up.

_So you see Mom it wasn't entirely my fault. Just please don't bring it up at family gatherings. I really don't like to be compared to accident prone DJ. Oh and the boys were wondering when you were going to come by with another batch of brownies. The last ones didn't even make it to the kitchen. Pops, I could use a new parking sticker. I don't need another parking ticket. See you guys later!_

_Evan_


	3. Dunabi PJ

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: If I'm lucky I may get these all written tonight! I may even keep them coming if they are well liked. Anyway here is PJ's letter home. This one will be a bit more serious in content. Just warning you. Here we go...**

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_Paker Jane Messer-Changing the World with Hugs and Smiles_

_Dear Daddy and Mom, _

_You would that after spending every summer since I was fourteen years old in Africa would have prepared me for what I saw today. My relief group met up with Doctors Without Borders today in a village just outside Darfur. So far guys I am down to three pairs of cargo pants and a few Yankees t-shirts. I have given away bascially everything else that I brought with me. I just feel so spoiled having so much when the kids I talk with have nothing. The fudge Nonna sent didn't even get ate by me. I gave it all to a group of children who looked at it as if it was poison. I had to explain to them what chocolate was. I took for granted so much of what I had growing up. Dunabi, a girl about my age has never even heard of New York City before. Did you have any idea how hard it is to explain what a skyscraper is and what a hot dog is? Even with all the poverty and disease these people live through everyday makes me realize how good the rest of the world has it. Maybe if Bella came here she would finally understand why I harp on her all the time about her obession with her appearance..._

PJ stared off into the desert sunset imagining what her family would be doing at this time. She watched the children of the village her group was staying at run and play. She wished she had a bat and ball so she could teach them baseball. Despite their poverty the children in the village loved to play. Since she had been there she had played countless games of Hide and Seek, tag, even Red Rover.

When she wasn't playing with the children she was working in the makeshift clinic with Annie the doctor on her team. It was at this clinic where she met the best friend she could ever have asked for. Dunabi had no idea where her parents were or if they were even alive. All she knew was that her brother was taken as a boy ten years ago to be in the army. She didn't even know if he was alive. Dunabi traveled with PJ's team and the girls grew to be very good friends.

One night Dunabi was watching PJ write to her family and with more honesty than PJ had ever heard asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm writing a letter to my parents in New York," PJ answered.

"What's writing?" Dunabi asked.

PJ was speechless. How does someone explain writing? "Come here I'll show you."

Dunabi and PJ sat next to each other and PJ showed her how to hold her pen. PJ held her friend's hand in hers and helped her scratch out her name on a blank sheet of paper. Tears stung both girl's eyes as the letters formed. Every night afterwards PJ and Dunabi would sit in their little hut and PJ would teach Dunabi how to read and write. For PJ it was the most rewarding experiences in her time in Africa.

In return of teaching her to read, Dunabi helped PJ with the native languages of the people in the villages. With the help with the language barrier broken PJ was able to reach out to the people more.

"PJ tell me about New York," Dunabi asked one night as they were lying in the sand staring up at the stars.

"New York is the most wonderful place in the entire world. There are buildings there that seem like they can touch the sky. New York has so many different people living there. People come to New York from all over the wolrd to become famous or to get lost. I'll take you there sometime. You can meet my family. My mom would love you. Come on, I want to show you something."

PJ pulled Dunabi up and the two went back to their little hut. PJ dug in the army duffle bag for the scrapbook she carted everywhere with her. "Du, I want you to meet my family." She opened the book to the first page. She had the same family photo as Bella had in her collage. The five kids were lined up Bella, Evan, Miracle, DJ and PJ with Danny and Lindsay behind them.

"You have four brothers and sisters, same age as you?" Dunabi asked, truly shocked. She had never heard or seen of something like that.

"Yeah. We are what is called quintuplets," PJ explained. "My brother DJ is the oldest. Then my sister Bella came out, followed by Evan then me and last was Miracle."

"Why is her name Miracle?"

"She was the youngest and the smallest of all of us. Mom refused to leave the hospital unless we all were going home too."

"What's a hospital?"

"Think of the clinic but with hundreds of doctors and nurses."

Dunabi nodded. PJ flipped the pages and stopped on a picture of Don and Stella. PJ lightly touched the picture of her godfather. It may have been three years since his death but it was still as real to her as the day her parents told her.

"That's my godfather Don," PJ whispered. "He was killed three years ago."

She quickly flipped past the page and stopped on a blank page. "It's time to add another page." She pulled a small box from her bag and opened it up. Once a month a someone from the agency took out mail for the people working in the villages. PJ would send her mother dozens of CDs filled with pictures and letters to other members of the family. Lindsay would always send back a few prints for PJ to add to her scapbook. She had pictures of Evan with his frat brothers, DJ in his baseball uniform, Bella at school and Miracle with her symphony. One Christmas Lindsay made a video to send to her. And that video is what PJ shared with Dunabi that night.

"Hey Peej!" the family greeted. "And for those fo you watching this with PJ let us introduce ourselves. I'm Danny, the dad, the boss."

"Yeah right Dad!" DJ mocked. "You cower anytime Mom even raises her voice. I'm DJ by the way, I'm the older brother."

"I'm Lindsay, the mom, the true ruler of this clan," Lindsay teased.

"I'm Caralina, the Nonna," Danny's mother said. "And that grumpy gus over there is Gus, the Poppi."

The rest of the family introduced themselves and Dunabi said hello to each and everyone of them as well. The movie took PJ back to the city and a sense of normalcy to the world. Lindsay had taken the PJ back to the lab and even to her old high school. Dunabi was shocked to see so many people or even a real school. It was the most fun PJ would have in a very long time.

_Mom, Dad, I know you don't like to hear things like this from me but I need you guys to know something. I love you both very much and I never realized how good I had it until I came here. Thank you for everything you have done for all of us. _

_Love you both!_

_Peej_

A few weeks later Danny and Lindsay recieved a letter from the group PJ was with in Africa.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Messer, _

_My name is Mosi Tendu and I am the leader of the group your daughter Parker Jane is a part of. It pains me to write this. The relief team that your daughter Parker Jane is with did not arrive at their checkpoint. We are doing everything we can to locate your daughter and bring her home safely. We do know that a group of raiders have been seen and reported in the area. We are not fearing the worst. We will keep in contact with you on anything that we find. _

_If you have any further questions please feel free to call me anytime. 1-800-578-6321 ext. 0318_

_Sincerly, _

_Mosi Tendu_


	4. No Longer MIA PJ

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: Due to the amount of backlash and worry about PJ here is a follow-up to the last chapter. I mentioned in the epilouge in Yahtzee that PJ went missing while in Africa. Here we go...**

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_Paker Jane Messer-Changing the World with Hugs and Smiles_

_Dear Mom and Dad, _

_For the record I am not dead, lost in the desert, kidnapped by nomad raiders or made queen of a village. I realize that you must be freaking out beyond the normal realm of freaking out. Just to make myself clear Mom, I am fine. In one peice, writing to you from the American Embassy in Mali. We should be heading back out in a few days. Oh and Mom, Mr. Tendu would like it if you would stop calling him every hour on the hour to check for updates. Anyway for Mom's peice of mind and quite a funny story for Daddy here's what happened..._

PJ always hated leaving a village. Even if the team had only spent a week or two there PJ hated leaving it. But this particular village was the hardest to leave. The team had been there for three months and PJ had developed lifelong friendships with many of the young women there, Dunabi most of all. Both girls had taught each other so much. PJ taught Dunabi to read and write and Dunabi taught her the native languages of the people in the village plus showed her what plants were used by the local medicine men.

PJ was taking a very long time to pack up her things. She didn't want to leave. She was carefully packing each letter she had gotten from home, reading a few of them as she placed them in a Ziploc bag. She laughed again at the trials and tribulations of Bella's, excuese me, Belle's with her roommate Taya. PJ had to love the karma for all the years of torture Bella had inflicted on her.

No matter what anyone said, Parker Jane was not looking forward to coming back to the states. She had seen life from a whole new idealogy and she couldn't imagine going back to wealth and privilage. She would bring Dunabi with her or many of the other young women she counseled while there. She looked out the small window in her hut and saw Dunabi playing with some of the children in the village. PJ made a mental note to write to Rachel and Becca Hammerback and thank them for teaching her and her siblings all those different games during the summer.

"Parker, we have to get going!" PJ heard Annie, her team doctor call. "Nakibo can feel in her bones that a storm is coming."

Nakibo or Nanna Kibo as called by the children, could sense when sandstorms were coming. No one had ever questioned the validity of the claim, they just got the village ready for the storm. PJ put the last of her things in her bag and headed for the truck. Stan, Annie's husband was packing the last generator into the truck. He saw the look on PJ's face and understood. He and Annie didn't want to leave this village either but they were needed to go back to Headquarters to pick up fresh supplies and lobby for more funding. They had to be to the border of Niger and Mali by nightfall.

PJ lightly tossed her stuff into the back of the truck. She didn't want to have to say goodbye to the people of the village. She had grown to love them all and if she could have her way Parker Jane Messer would stay in her tiny hut in the Niger desert for the rest of her life. Sadly she had made a deal with her parents that she would spend four years in Africa then she had to come home.

She looked over to her friend. Dunabi would be staying in the village until they returned. Dunabi came running over and the two friends shared a tight hug. PJ hadn't cried since Don's funeral three years ago. Leaving her best friend ever borught back the tears she had refused to shed. PJ pressed a print of the photograph into her friend's hand. PJ's dark tan still looked very white next to Dunabi's dark chocolate skin. The smiles plastered on the girls' faces would outshine the heavens.

Stan literally had to pull PJ from Dunabi and put her in the truck. He understood what she was going through. "We'll be back in a month."

_"A lot can happen in a month," _PJ thought.

The truck drove off into the horizon. PJ turned in her seat and watched the village fade into the sand. As it vanished PJ could have sworn she saw the Empire State Building. But she knew it was her mind playing tricks on her.

"If we keep heading west for three hours or so we should be back in Mali before dark," Stan said.

"That's great," PJ muttered.

They had been driving for about an hour when PJ looked to the eastern sky and saw a large wall of sand heading right for them. Nakibo was right about the storm. And in the middle of the desert there was nothing they could do about it. Stan killed the engine and tried to get through to someone on the radio. PJ and Annie rolled up the widows and blocked the cracks to keep the sand from getting into the truck. Stan was having no luck getting anyone.

All night the winds howled around the stranded truck. PJ swore the truck had spun around at least three times. She had seen what sandstorms could do. A storm could wipe out an entire village. PJ lnew how bad this could be. The storm could wipe the entire landscape bare. The winds shook the truck and soon as they began the winds died down coming to a calm.

"First light we'll keep going," Stan said. "There's no use in getting lost in the desert at night."

When the sun came up over the desert Annie, Stan and PJ dug themselves out of the truck. The landscape was completly changed around them. It was like the first major snowstorm in the city. Everything looked different and nothing looked the same.

Stan tired the radio but got nothing in return. The engine wouldn't crank over. They were stuck. The sand had gotten into the engine of the car, clogging it, thus making it utterly useless. Luckily for Annie and PJ, Stan had spent a good deal of time in the African desert during his time in the military. He dug into his box of maps and tried to figure out where they were. He was bent over the hood of the truck with his maps and compass.

"Well ladies, we have two options at the moment. First, we can pack as much as we can and walk the rest of the way to the border, which could take a few days. Or we can pack what we can and walk back to the village and try to get in touch with the company from there. Either way, we're walking."

PJ and Annie pulled out their bags and overturned them. This had happened once before. They left out many of the uneeded items and packed up the medical supplies and a change of clothes. They could always raid the donation bins at headquarters or barter for more with the caravans. PJ carried her backpack that contained her laptop and camera, both of which could be bartered if it came to it. The three of them carried extra canteens and soon were on their way across Niger desert.

The walk took almost a three weeks. It took a while because walking in the desert sun was never fun. PJ was never so happy to see border patrol than she was when she saw the tanks and soliders. Once in Mali they were able to barter their way to the American Embassy and meet up with the leader of their organization. All were treated for dehydration and exhaustion. While recuperating PJ wrote her parents a letter explaining that she was all right and for them to stop worrying.

_Please stop worrying about me Mom. You may not believe it but I am enjoying what I am doing and I know I agreed that I would come back and go to school but guys, this place has changed me. I have to keep working here. I'm needed here. We can discuss it more when both Dunabi and I come back for Christmas. _

_I love you both very much and I swear I am not trying to send you both to early graves. DJ, Evan and I already tried that when we were five and tried to launch poor Jack off the roof in a makeshift slingshot. Give the sibs my love!_

_No longer MIA, _

_PeeJays_


	5. Breakup DJ

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: It took me a long time to figure out what I was going to do for DJ's letter home. He like Evan is still local and sees his family all the time. So here we go. I hope everyone likes it. For the record I have not given up on Uptown Girl, I just wrote myself into a corner and am trying to back track to get out of it.I would also like to say that I appreciate everyone who reads this and any of my stories. I get that you want more but I don't have all of these written out and saved on files on my computer. I write them bits at a time. That being said, I don't mind when you ask for updates soon, but do realize that I am also a working adult and have other things in my day that limit my writing time. **

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_Baseball Superstar DJ Messer_

_Whazzup Moms and Pop?_

_Ok I know I just saw you both yesterday and Moms was saying how she gets all kinds of letters from Bellas, Evan, PeeJays, even Miracle but none from me. My whole thought on that is Moms you see me every Saturday when I come over to do my laundry. So why do you need a letter? That's when it hit me. Moms just wanted to get stuff in the mail from her kids who are away at school. Let me think of something I haven't told you both recently..._

Very rarely did the girl/boy you dated in high school go to the same school as you for college. Jenni Mullins and DJ Messer were the exceptions to that rule. Not only did they both get into NYU but they both lived in the same building and were taking a few of the same classes. In a way they were inseperable.

Jenni was DJ's biggest cheerleader at the baseball games. She loved the boy more than anyone else. She understood when he had to be away for training or games. He understood her need to maintain her perfect grades to keep her scholarship. On nights she had to study DJ would make himself scarce. But on those rare nights when Jenni would pull herself away from her books and the library she could let her hair down with the other bimbos one the arms of his buddies. Not that Jenni was a bimbo. She was far from it. She was the product of a single parent household with no siblings. Jenni worked very hard to get where she was and she was not about to blow it on partying all night and skipping classes.

It was just before NYU was going to take their winter break. For thrity five percent of the student population that meant jumping on a subway back to their parents' place. Both DJ and Jenni had been up to their eyeballs in mid terms. They started leaving more messages for each other than seeing each other. DJ was starting to be better friends with Jenni's roommate Jackie than he was with his girlfriend.

Neither one wanted to admit it but they both felt like they were drifting away from each other. DJ knew that he would always love Jenni. Jenni had been there for him in the days after Flack had died. He hadn't wanted to talk about him or anything. Jenni just held him to her until he finally broke down and sobbed. Sobbed for the uncle who had been so much more than that.

Jenni had blown DJ off for the last time in his book. He should remembered how many times his own mother had blown off his father before she finally went out with him. But he was a boy and he wasn't a carbon copy of patience like his father. He finally caught up with her outside her dorm room. He had been waiting, hoping to catch her.

"Jay, what are you doing here?" Jenni asked.

"You haven't been returning my calls. I haven't seen you in a week," DJ said. "Jen, what's going on? Talk to me."

"I can't do this anymore Jay," Jenni said, putting her key in the lock.

DJ pressed his hand to hers pulling it away from the door. He placed his hand under her chin, lifting it, looking into her eyes. "Jenni? What can't you do? Be with me?"

"I'm not a party girl. I never will be. I don't fit in with your friends or their girlfriends. I'm a bookworm Jay. I study and get good grades to make my mother proud. I can't keep getting compared to Bella, PJ and Miracle or any other girl in your life. I'm not them! I never have been."

"I have I ever made you do something you didn't want to do?" DJ asked, seeing the tears in her eyes. "I love you for who you are. I never cared that you would rather spend your Friday nights at the library instead of out at some party my friends were having."

"DJ, maybe we should take some time apart," Jenni finally said. "I need to figure out who I am without being attatched to you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah Jenni. I do," DJ said. "I do. I should go. Have a nice life Jenni." He turned from her and started to walk away.

"Jay wait!" Jenni cried. DJ stopped and looked back. "I'm not saying never. I'm just saying not right now."

"I know."

_So I guess Moms you don't have to set a place for Jenni this year for Thanksgiving. I guess it just leaves more room for whoever Bella decides to bring home from Yale. I'll see you guys in a few days. _

_DJ_


	6. Brothers Never Grow Up Miracle

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: I really like this idea nad may keep it going for awhile. It's something to keep me going during this strike. Which I hope and pray will be over soon now that some of the writers for Letterman are coming back. I really don't think the writers can hold out much longer. So far in the lives of the Messer kids Bella's got a new roommate, Evan's blown up the lab at Columbia, PJ got lost in the desert and DJ and Jenni broke up. What on earth could I have happen with Miracle? Let's see shall we...**

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_Music is my Heart and Soul_

_Dear Mommy and Daddy,_

_I don't think I have ever been this nervous in my entire life. My opera opens in three days. We have started the final run throughs complete with full costume and makeup. Sarah Connor, the lead soprano and I have gotten to be really good friends. She can't believe that only a few years ago I didn't even speak to anyone. She and I have been hanging out together after rehersals. I've never really had a real friend before. It's such an amazing feeling. The strangest/funniest/best thing happened this afternoon while we were rehersing Act III of my opera..._

Miracle Faith Messer did not believe in curses. She did not believe in ghosts, goblins, ghouls, vampires or even the boogeyman. She did not believe that a demon chased those people out of the Amityville house. She did not believe that the mourge was haunted by the unclaimed dead. She did believe that angels come in all shapes and sizes and that good does sometimes triumph over evil. Her darling brothers tried in vain to make me believe that the attic of Nonna Messer's house was haunted. It was Miracle who discovered a bat in the attic that was causing the hauntings. No matter what they threw at her Miracle would pull a Scooby and the gang on them and debunk it all. Nevertheless after the day her cast and crew had on the last run through of her opera she began to doubt her abilities.

The day started like any other. Everyone was early and they got right to business. The first two of five acts went smoothly. No major kinks. It was during the break between the second and third acts that things started to go downhill.

The printers arrived to have Mira proof the programs before went to the main printer. She hadn't seen a worse proof than her first student workshop at Julliard. They had messed up everything from the title to the actor's biographies in the back. She let her assistant conducter take over the rehersal and she sat in the back of the theartre fixing all of the mistakes. She started with the title. They had "A Journey Through Darkness." What it should have been was "Freed From Darkness: A Girl's Joruney from Autism." They messed up her name, the leads and several other things.

While she was working on correcting those errors the backdrop came crashing to the stage, almost hitting Sarah, the lead. Miracle was out of her seat and to the stage in a matter of seconds. No one was hurt but everyone was still worried. They took a quick break and Miracle went backstage to figure out what had happened. All the backstage hands were accounted for so it wasn't someone not in their place. Nothing was out of place, nothing seem to be missing or out of place. By all rights that backdrop shouldn't have fallen. Then from out of nowhere a small envelope fell to the stage, just like in _Phantom of the Opera_. Miracle figured someone was messing with her. She had her ideas but even DJ and Evan wouldn't screw with her on something this important in her life. But then again they were DJ and Evan.

She picked it up and inspected it. It was a normal envelope no bulky wax seal of a skull. She opened it up and read the note inside.

_Mira-_

_For the record this is DJ's idea. We figured we could get you to relax and enjoy the fact that your opera is opening. Go back up to the sound room we sent you a suprise. We hope no one got hurt when the backdrop came down. I tried to plan it right. But like the Santa traps and other genius ideas I've had they haven't always worked. Just relax and enjoy this time, sis. You've earned it. _

_Evan_

Now she was amused. She figured her brothers had to have been behind all this. Not with the printers but with the crashing backdrop. Evan was just lucky it didn't fall on Sarah. Now she was wondering who or what on earth could be waiting for her in the soundroom. She wandered up the stairs of the theatre and into the soundroom. The chair was facing away from her and it suddenly turned around and someone she hadn't seen in almost a year and a half was sitting there with a smile on her face.

"PJ!" Miracle exclaimed, running to her sister.

The pair, who growing up had never been close, held each other as if they other would disappear in front of their eyes. The last that Miracle had heard was the PJ was lost somewhere in Niger. Now she was here in New York, in Miracle's theatre watching the rehersal for her opera. Needless to say Miracle was shocked.

"When did you get back? Are you all right?" Miracle fired question after question at her barely giving PJ a chance to explain before moving onto another round of questions. PJ felt like she was on trial.

"Miracle I can only answer one question at a time. Yes I am fine. We got caught in a sandstorm and had to walk into Mali. It was the longest three weeks of my life. But I'm home for awhile. I brought someone with me too. I can't wait until you meet Dunabi."

Little did Miracle know, her entire family had come in to surprise her. Nanna and Poppa Monroe, her uncle Steven and Aunt Claire, even the Hammerback girls were coming. Mircale couldn't have been more excited or nervous.

_PJ stayed for the rest of the rehersal. It was so nice to see her. I can't wait to meet Dunabi. Well I should get going. We're going to run through act four again. See you soon!_

_Miracle_


	7. More Tales from Yale

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: I really like this idea nad may keep it going for awhile. It's something to keep me going during this strike. Which I hope and pray will be over soon now that some of the writers for Letterman are coming back. I really don't think the writers can hold out much longer. Okay this will always be my favorite show but last week's episode sucked!! I've gone spoiler free so I had no idea what I was going to be seeing. It was not my favorite epsiode of the season. So to make up for that let's have a tale from Yale. (I'm so cheesey I scare myself sometimes!)**

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_From the desk of Belle Messer_

_Dearest Mommy and Daddy,_

_No I don't want anything. Just to get that out of the way. I am merely writing to express my gartitude for the years of pain and sacrifice you have put in as NYPD officers. I understand now why you never pushed evidence to get to a conclusion for the DA. I have started my internship with the DA here in New Haven and I have to say I have lost count on how many times I have called the New Haven crime lab begging for updates only to be told that science can't be rushed. Which I think is something Uncle Mac had said to you Daddy on numerous occasions. Anyway the tech I was talking with today was a very nice guy and he..._

Bella was having the best time working for the DA. She loved running to get her coffee, muffns, bagels anything that she could want or need. Audrey Davis, the DA for New Haven was very picky when it came to selecting her interns. She wanted not only the best and brightest of the senior under graduate students at Yale, but she also wanted the ones who would punch, stratch and bite their way to the top. But when it came to Isabella Messer it was something completely different. Belle Messer, as she was called in class, was everything that Audrey was when she was in college. She had the grades to get any internship in town. She had the wit to stand up to any of the big wigs. Belle Messer was her protege.

Bella was the only intern to work on Adurey's big murder case. Bella's main job was to stay in cotact with the lab and the evidence. Audrey loved the fact that both of Bella's parents were CSIs and had taught her the basic language needed to speak with the techs in the lab. So most of Bella's day was spent running from the DA's office to the crime lab.

Her first few trips there she forgot she wasn't in New York and could just walk into the lab. She forgot that the ladies who worked at the front desk had not been the ones to hold her and her brothers and sisters as new babies. Now she stopped and gabbed with Helen and Louise before going up to the lab to bug Dexter Riley for updates on Audrey's case.

Dexter saw her coming and tried to hide. He didn't have any more information for her and he really didn't want to take any more comments from the other guys in the lab about not closing the deal with Bella. Dexter would kindly remind them that Bella was just 21 and didn't need a twentysomething hitting on her. But then again she did flirt with him more than she did the others.

Bella waltzed into the lab and smiled over at him. Dexter took the bait and started the banter.

"Get out of my lab Bella," he teased. "I don't have anything for you so you're wasting your time."

"Well it's nice to see you too Dexter," Bella smiled. "What makes you think I want anything?"

"Because you're here and you never come over because you want to. You're here for Audrey."

"I resent that Dexter! You know I was going to invite you to come with to Boston next week to see my brother play his first professional game with the Red Sox but since you're being so mean to me..." Bella said, walking away.

"Now wait a second!" Dexter said, grabbing her arm. "You're brother plays for Boston?"

"Yeah, shortstop."

"That is so cool! I have never met anyone who knows someone that cool."

"My brother is the biggest klutz that has ever played baseball. At our elementary he holds the record for most windows broken in a single year. How much you want to bet our principal sold that bit of information to the stat guys at Fenway Park?"

"How about you and me go to the game and find out?" Dexter asked.

"Meet me here seven am Saturday. It's going to be a long drive."

Later that afternoon Bella was smiling as she walked back into her shared apartment with Taya and Janelle Richards. They both knew something was different about Bella.

"You got a date or something Bellas?" Taya asked.

"Let's just say I think my cases will be completed in record time from now on."

_So Mommy and Daddy I will be bringing a new friend along to DJ's game this weekend. Daddy I am begging you to be nice to this one. He may be a keeper. _

_Hearts, _

_Bella_


	8. Drunken Tattoos Evan

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: I am so sorry it has been so long since I updated. I have been very busy with a new job and haven't had the time to write. I am so happy that the strike is over and we can get back to happiness. Anyway here is another letter home. Evan plus Spring Break plus Lila and a tattoo equals??? I don't know yet! You'll see!**

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_Evan Messer--A Science God in a Mere Mortal Boy_

_Dear Mom and Dad, _

_I got a tattoo! Not of anything bad but I did get one. Lila and I went with a few of my frat brothers down to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. It took a lot of begging from Lila to actually make me go but now that I'm here, it's nice to be out of the city and away from the lab. Lila and the guys threatened to beat me with multiple blunt items if I even think about getting out one of my books. But anyway we're staying at the coolest condo. Pete's dad bought it like a thousand years ago. It sits right on the water. It view is so amazing. I can't think of what to compare it to. Anyway I went to a club for the first time down here and I can tell you I haven't missed a thing..._

20 year old Evan Messer had never set foot in a night club until his frat brothers and girlfriend Lila drug him to one while on vacation in Florida. Evan was not the kind of guy to hit the clubs. Give him the library or a Comic Con weekend and he's happy. He's a white boy and he can't dance. He's only ever had wine at Nonna Messer's for major holidays. The rule at Nonna's was you could have a glass of wine with dinner if you were over the age of sixteen and not pregnant. In the case of his cousin Luci she was both sixteen and pregnant.

For the first hour they were at the club Evan hung back taking in the scene while Lila and the guys danced and carried on with the others in the club. Lila finally had enough of him sitting on the sidelines and drug his ass out onto the dance floor. It was no surprise to everyone that Evan could not dance, not even a little. He had faked it rather well in high school but there in Florida it wasn't going to happen. The boys and Lila finally got him drunk enough that the geekiness of Evan just kind of melted and they found his inner stud. He was shaking and grooving with the best of them.

Somehow, he still doesn't know how, but they ended up at a tattoo parlor at three in the morning. Still in his drunken stupor, Evan plopped down in the chair, mumbled something about science and took off his shirt and pointed to his shoulder. When he woke up the next morning, he was in so much pain he couldn't remember the events of the night before. He staggered to the shower and that's when he discovered it. He had the Periodic Table tattooed onto his back. Of all the things he could have gotten tattooed he got the table. Uncle Sheldon would be proud. His brother would mock him for the rest of his life. Not only his brother, but his dad, the guys in the lab, not to mention that Uncle Don was probably laughing his ass off in heaven. Evan Travis Messer would never in his life live this one down. Never, ever for the rest of his natural life this particular event would be brought up at every family dinner, function or just whenever his brother or dad wanted to give him a hard time.

_By the way Mom, if you could stop Pop from spreading this around the lab it would be greatly appreciated. _

_Evan_

PS By the time that Evan returned from his trip and had gotten back to school and work everyone in the NYPD knew that Danny Messer's son had the Periodic Table of Elements tattooed on his back. So much for Lindsay stopping the spread.


	9. Grandparents! PJ

Letters to Mom and Dad

**A/N: For all of you waiting for an update on Uptown Girl please be patient. I have written myself into a corner and can't seem to find my way out. But until then how about a tale from the heart of the African desert? I think another PJ installment is just what the muse doctor ordered. Plus we could use some fluff after this past episode. Here we go!**

_Parker Jane Messer: Changing the World One Hug at a Time_

_Dear Mom and Dad, _

_It is so great to be back in Africa. Not that I didn't love being back in the States for awhile. I just feel like my life has more meaning being here and helping people. I know we talked about me going back to school when I was home but I just can't do it. I'm needed here more than ever before. You would really be proud of me and all the work I have been doing. About a month ago I met a little girl who latched on to me and wouldn't for the life of me let go. Her name is Lakia and she has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. Anyway today she, Dunabi and I played together and let me tell you I now know what Rachel and Becca dealt with when they were our nannies growing up..._

PJ had never lost or misplaced anything in her entire life. Bella and the boys were not the tidiest of Messer children. In her, Bella and Miracle's room, Lindsay was always able to tell where PJ and Miracle's sides of the room began and ended. PJ's bed was always made, her desk never cluttered. Miracle was the same way. But Bella, God forbid she ever put back the mountain of clothes that were always on her bed, desk and sometimes the floor. It always seemed like PJ was cleaning up after Bella.

PJ and Dunabi had been playing with the children of the village. Lakia, a little girl of four had taken to PJ a few villages ago and was staying with her until she could save enough money to send her to Danny and Lindsay in the states. Lakia was going to be PJ's adopted daughter. While they were playing Lakia wandered off from the rest of the children. PJ had broken up a fight between two little boys and didn't see Lakia wander away.

Soon everyone was back playing and having fun. PJ did a quick head count and noticed she was missing one. She counted again just to make sure she wasn't but she was. Somehow Lakia had wandered off. PJ left the group in the capable hands of Dunabi and went in search of her soon to be daughter. She looked in every hut, building and trench that was in the village. It would be getting dark soon and the desert at night was worse than the desert during the day. Everything changed at night. Fierce wind storms could pick up at a moments notice and completely transform the area around you in a matter of moments. If not for the storms, there were desert snakes, scorpions, lizards of all sizes that could very well severly injure or even kill a little girl.

PJ was never one to panic. She always left that up to her sister and her father. She, like her mother were the defintion of calm, cool and collected. Slowly, as she searched and came up empty panic began to set in. Dozens of what if's came flooding into PJ's mind. What if she stumbled into a dry and pit and was stuck? What if she got bit by a scorpion? What if a nomadic tribe picked her up and was now lost to the sands of time?

PJ shook her head, banishing all thoughts. All she would think about right then and there was that she was fine and most likely off with Annie at the clinic or hounding Stan with a thousand and one questions. She took a deep breath and wandered over to the tent where Stan kept their Jeep covered. And sure enough there was Lakia sitting in the driver's seat softly drumming on the steering wheel.

"Kia, what have I said about wandering off?" PJ, scolded lightly.

"Sorry PJ. It was so hot. I had to get some shade."

"Next time tell me," PJ said, taking the four year old girl in her arms. "I bet you're hungry. Why don't we go see what Annie's got cooking?"

_Mom can you please apologize for all of us to Becca and Rachel for scaring them so many times? I understand the panic you had when Miracle wandered off in Wal-Mart. I can't wait for you guys to meet Lakia. Tell Bella she's going to be an aunt. As I'm finishing this letter Annie just came in to tell me that all the paperwork cleared and I can bring Lakia to New York the next time I go home. Congrats Mommy and Dad, your're GRANDPARENTS!!_

_All our Love, _

_PJs and granddaughter Lakia_

"We're what?!" Danny and Lindsay exclaimed.


End file.
